Manuel Salvador Ojeda Armenta (4 November 1940 – 11 August 2022) was a Mexican actor. Ojeda was one of the most active actors of

television Television (TV) is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. Additionally, the term can refer to a physical television set rather than the medium of transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...

and cinema in Mexico. He played the villain, Zolo, in the

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood ...

film ''

Romancing the Stone ''Romancing the Stone'' is a 1984 romantic comedy-adventure film directed by Robert Zemeckis, written by Diane Thomas and produced by Michael Douglas, who also stars in the film alongside Kathleen Turner and Danny DeVito. The film follows a ro ...

''.

Career

Manuel Salvador Ojeda Armenta was born in

La Paz, Baja California Sur La Paz (, ) is the capital and largest city of the Mexico, Mexican States of Mexico, state of Baja California Sur, with a 2020 census population of 250,141 inhabitants, making it the most populous city in the state. La Paz City is located in La ...

. He studied acting at the Instituto de Bellas Artes ("Institute of Fine Arts") and started his career in theatre. He obtained roles in his first film in his mid-thirties and later participated in the first of his dozens of

telenovela A telenovela is a type of a television serial drama or soap opera produced primarily in Latin America. The word combines ''tele'' (for "television") and ''novela'' (meaning "novel"). Similar Drama (film and television), drama genres around the w ...

s with

Televisa Grupo Televisa, S.A.B., simply known as Televisa, is a Mexican telecommunications and broadcasting company. A major Latin American mass media corporation, it often presents itself as the largest producer of Spanish-language content. In April ...

two years later. In 1979, he appeared in his first English-language production, the 1979

Martin Sheen Ramón Gerard Antonio Estévez (born August 3, 1940), known professionally as Martin Sheen, is an American actor. His work spans over six decades of television and film, and his accolades include three Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and ...

film ''

Eagle's Wing ''Eagle's Wing'' is a 1979 British Western film made in 1979. It stars Martin Sheen, Sam Waterston and Harvey Keitel. It was directed by Anthony Harvey, with a story by Michael Syson and a screenplay by John Briley. It won the British Soci ...

''. He also took the role of Jimmy in ''P.D. Tu gato ha muerto'', the Spanish-language production of '' P.S. Your Cat Is Dead'' in 1983. The same year, Ojeda starred in Jaime Humberto Hermosillo's '' Las apariencias engañan'' as Sergio, a closeted gay man. Ojeda played the murderous secret police commander Zolo in the Hollywood film ''

'' (1984). Co-star

Kathleen Turner Mary Kathleen Turner (born June 19, 1954) is an American actress. Known for her distinctive deep husky voice, she is the recipient of two Golden Globes, as well as nominations for an Academy Award, a Grammy, and two Tony Awards. After debuting ...

served as his interpreter during filming as director

Robert Zemeckis Robert Lee Zemeckis (born May 14, 1952) is an American filmmaker known for directing and producing a range of successful and influential movies, often blending cutting-edge visual effects with storytelling. He has received several accolades incl ...

spoke no Spanish. On television, Ojeda portrayed

Emiliano Zapata Emiliano Zapata Salazar (; 8 August 1879 – 10 April 1919) was a Mexican revolutionary. He was a leading figure in the Mexican Revolution of 1910–1920, the main leader of the people's revolution in the Mexican state of Morelos, and the insp ...

in the telenovela ''Senda de gloria'' in 1987 and

Porfirio Díaz José de la Cruz Porfirio Díaz Mori (; ; 15 September 1830 – 2 July 1915) was a General (Mexico), Mexican general and politician who was the dictator of Mexico from 1876 until Mexican Revolution, his overthrow in 1911 seizing power in a Plan ...

in '' El vuelo del águila'' in 1994. In 1994, he began to focus on his television career, eventually appearing in over 45 television series. From 2005 to 2006, he was part of the cast of the telenovela '' Alborada''.

Health issues and death

In the later years of his life, Ojeda reported that he suffered from depression when he was not working. While he was filming ''

Corazón guerrero ''Corazón guerrero'' (English title: ''Daring Heart'') is a Mexican telenovela that aired on Las Estrellas from 28 March 2022 to 9 September 2022. The series is produced by Salvador Mejía for TelevisaUnivision. It is an adaptation of the Argent ...

'' in 2022, he began to experience symptoms of

liver disease Liver disease, or hepatic disease, is any of many diseases of the liver. If long-lasting it is termed chronic liver disease. Although the diseases differ in detail, liver diseases often have features in common. Liver diseases File:Ground gla ...

, including

anorexia Anorexia nervosa (AN), often referred to simply as anorexia, is an eating disorder characterized by Calorie restriction, food restriction, body image disturbance, fear of gaining weight, and an overpowering desire to be thin. Individuals wit ...

. His health deteriorated quickly over the course of two months and he died on 11 August 2022.

Filmography

Films

Television

Awards and nominations

TVyNovelas Awards

Premios El Heraldo de México

References

External links

Manuel Ojeda
at the Telenovela Database *

at the

New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ojeda, Manuel 1940 births 2022 deaths Best Actor Ariel Award winners Mexican male film actors Mexican male stage actors Mexican male telenovela actors People from La Paz, Baja California Sur Male actors from Baja California Sur Deaths from liver disease